1. What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
Based on the title of this course and on my knowledge of the high school Technology Applications TEKS that correspond to these two subjects, I had envisioned two outcomes for this course. First, I hoped to learn more about shooting and editing video into a high-quality final product. Second, I hoped to learn more about the breadth of information covered in the Multimedia TEKS. I am certified to teach 8-12 Technology Applications, but I have always felt that the Multimedia TEKS were very broad. I hoped this course would help clarify the range of topics that a typical Multimedia course would cover.
I feel that I achieved the first outcome, shooting and editing video into a high-quality final product, and that the course outcomes aligned with my goal. This course allowed us to read about and create video from still photos, record audio, and record and edit video. Based on my experiences in this class, I feel comfortable teaching others how to shoot and edit video. This course offered some fantastic readings, including tips for better filming and information from Adobe on teaching students about video technology. The Adobe reading was especially helpful, as many of us may be teaching a Video Technology course after we complete this degree. The course seemed to skim the surface of multimedia, so I did not achieve my goal of learning more about the breadth of information covered in the Multimedia TEKS, and the course outcomes did not align with what I had envisioned.
2. To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?
I will definitely use the knowledge I acquired in this course. In my position as instructional technology coordinator, I provide training for teachers in our school district. The skills I acquired and accomplished while creating my personal digital story in Photo Story and while shooting and editing our team's public service announcement video are directly transferrable to professional development for teachers. The "Digital Storytelling Cookbook " provided relevant and inspiring information on creating or helping others create a digital story. This summer, my department taught a digital storytelling session for middle school and high school social studies teachers, and we encouraged them to use Photo Story as a means for engaging students in the retelling of historical events or as an alternative to a written essay. The session was successful, but after reading the "Digital Storytelling Cookbook," I feel I can share more ideas about scripting, including using a 4 x 6 index card, and about storyboarding as a method of planning a digital story.
We have also taught professional development sessions on the mechanics of Movie Maker, but we have never delved into video production. Time constraints usually prevent us from offering a session long enough for hands-on experience with planning, filming, and post-production. However, after my team's success creating our public service announcement, I see that video production, while still time consuming, is easy and valuable enough to share with teachers. Video production would make an excellent class or group project, and I feel that we can develop a professional development session on this topic.
3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?
I did not achieve my goals for learning more about multimedia and the Multimedia TEKS. In this course, we read about the value of multimedia in learning and the importance of using multimedia for effective online education. This reading was interesting and informative. However, this course did not teach us to create instruction that includes multimedia, and we did not learn about how a Technology Applications teacher would cover the Multimedia TEKS in his or her class. I was disappointed that the course did not share more information about multimedia, but I understand that only so much can be covered in one session.
My understanding is that this degree plan also prepares us to take the Technology Applications certification exam. I do not feel that we spent enough time learning about multimedia for me to feel comfortable taking a certification exam with questions on this topic. And unfortunately, I would not feel prepared to teach Multimedia based on my experience in this class.
4. Were you successful in completing the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?
I was successful in completing my personal digital story, my tutorial on using a video editing software, and our group's public service announcement. All of the assignments, with the exception of the Week 2 Assignment, gave clear instructions and guided me toward creating a quality product. I felt that each week's readings and assignment instructions scaffolded my learning, so that by the end of Week 5, I had the background to help my group produce a well-developed public service announcement. I am proud of each product created during this course, and I have shared my videos with family and friends!
I was discouraged while completing the Week 2 Assignment because the instructions and rubric referred to creating both an audio podcast and a video demonstration of how to use a video editing software. Our weekly web conference explained that we were to turn in an audio podcast. However, the assignment instructions were very confusing. Additionally, I was confused about how audio-only instructions would help someone learn to use a video editor. It seems that a screencast or a video made of screenshots would have been a better method of delivering introductory instructions on using a video editor. The confusing instructions and the lack of a truly useful product left me feeling discouraged at the end of Week 2.
5. What did you learn from this course: about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?
This course was quite a learning experience! I learned that although I enjoy being a leader, I really enjoy being a member of a group of professionals who listen to each other's ideas. Seeing our final product reaffirmed that what I could produce alone is nothing compared to what four creative technology leaders can produce together. Brian P. felt that Sandy K. was "the communication hub of our team," and we all agreed (B. Page, personal communication, September, 26, 2010). Sandy coordinated our efforts by developing and asking everyone to contribute to a Google Doc that served as our planning and reflection documentation.
I learned a great deal about the video production process. Sandy developed the initial idea and script for our public service announcement video, and through a phone conference and the online collaboration process, everyone contributed ideas. Alma G. suggested adding an on-screen narrator at the end of the video. Everyone contributed to rewriting the script during the pre-production process, and Brian, Sandy, and I made minor script modifications during the production process. Alma's experience with video production benefited the team as she described ideas for wide-angle shots and close up shots, which we used during the filming process. Brian expertly operated the camera equipment while I directed filming. I really enjoyed directing the video shoot. Our actors were terrific, and I enjoyed watching each take and giving the actors suggestions on ways to improve their performance. In my position as instructional technology coordinator, I am accustomed to giving directions to others, but I felt out of place directing a video shoot. I gradually felt more comfortable as filming went on. During post-production, Brian, Sandy, and I met in person to review the footage, select the best takes, and determine which angles should be used. Alma created and emailed graphics in two sizes. Alma is a graphic designer, so her work significantly contributed to making our video look more professional. I created credits slides using the blank graphics Alma made, and I included copyright attributions to our two sources: www.shutterstock.com, where Alma found the graphic backgrounds and stock photos, as well as www.freesound.org, where Sandy found the camera sound. After realizing that my version of Movie Maker would not render the aspect ratio the video was shot in, Sandy rendered the final video for viewing online, and she uploaded it to YouTube. Our group is very pleased with our public service announcement video. If I had to suggest an improvement, I would suggest that we use a microphone or lavaliere to improve sound quality.
I am glad the public service announcement assignment was required to be completed by a group because I learned so much from my teammates. While I could have produced a video, I would never have thought of so many creative ideas on my own. I feel much more confident about my ability to produce a video after having completed this course and this project with my team.
Multimedia and Video Technology Course Reflection
1. What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
Based on the title of this course and on my knowledge of the high school Technology Applications TEKS that correspond to these two subjects, I had envisioned two outcomes for this course. First, I hoped to learn more about shooting and editing video into a high-quality final product. Second, I hoped to learn more about the breadth of information covered in the Multimedia TEKS. I am certified to teach 8-12 Technology Applications, but I have always felt that the Multimedia TEKS were very broad. I hoped this course would help clarify the range of topics that a typical Multimedia course would cover.
I feel that I achieved the first outcome, shooting and editing video into a high-quality final product, and that the course outcomes aligned with my goal. This course allowed us to read about and create video from still photos, record audio, and record and edit video. Based on my experiences in this class, I feel comfortable teaching others how to shoot and edit video. This course offered some fantastic readings, including tips for better filming and information from Adobe on teaching students about video technology. The Adobe reading was especially helpful, as many of us may be teaching a Video Technology course after we complete this degree. The course seemed to skim the surface of multimedia, so I did not achieve my goal of learning more about the breadth of information covered in the Multimedia TEKS, and the course outcomes did not align with what I had envisioned.
2. To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?
I will definitely use the knowledge I acquired in this course. In my position as instructional technology coordinator, I provide training for teachers in our school district. The skills I acquired and accomplished while creating my personal digital story in Photo Story and while shooting and editing our team's public service announcement video are directly transferrable to professional development for teachers. The "Digital Storytelling Cookbook " provided relevant and inspiring information on creating or helping others create a digital story. This summer, my department taught a digital storytelling session for middle school and high school social studies teachers, and we encouraged them to use Photo Story as a means for engaging students in the retelling of historical events or as an alternative to a written essay. The session was successful, but after reading the "Digital Storytelling Cookbook," I feel I can share more ideas about scripting, including using a 4 x 6 index card, and about storyboarding as a method of planning a digital story.
We have also taught professional development sessions on the mechanics of Movie Maker, but we have never delved into video production. Time constraints usually prevent us from offering a session long enough for hands-on experience with planning, filming, and post-production. However, after my team's success creating our public service announcement, I see that video production, while still time consuming, is easy and valuable enough to share with teachers. Video production would make an excellent class or group project, and I feel that we can develop a professional development session on this topic.
3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?
I did not achieve my goals for learning more about multimedia and the Multimedia TEKS. In this course, we read about the value of multimedia in learning and the importance of using multimedia for effective online education. This reading was interesting and informative. However, this course did not teach us to create instruction that includes multimedia, and we did not learn about how a Technology Applications teacher would cover the Multimedia TEKS in his or her class. I was disappointed that the course did not share more information about multimedia, but I understand that only so much can be covered in one session.
My understanding is that this degree plan also prepares us to take the Technology Applications certification exam. I do not feel that we spent enough time learning about multimedia for me to feel comfortable taking a certification exam with questions on this topic. And unfortunately, I would not feel prepared to teach Multimedia based on my experience in this class.
4. Were you successful in completing the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?
I was successful in completing my personal digital story, my tutorial on using a video editing software, and our group's public service announcement. All of the assignments, with the exception of the Week 2 Assignment, gave clear instructions and guided me toward creating a quality product. I felt that each week's readings and assignment instructions scaffolded my learning, so that by the end of Week 5, I had the background to help my group produce a well-developed public service announcement. I am proud of each product created during this course, and I have shared my videos with family and friends!
I was discouraged while completing the Week 2 Assignment because the instructions and rubric referred to creating both an audio podcast and a video demonstration of how to use a video editing software. Our weekly web conference explained that we were to turn in an audio podcast. However, the assignment instructions were very confusing. Additionally, I was confused about how audio-only instructions would help someone learn to use a video editor. It seems that a screencast or a video made of screenshots would have been a better method of delivering introductory instructions on using a video editor. The confusing instructions and the lack of a truly useful product left me feeling discouraged at the end of Week 2.
5. What did you learn from this course: about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?
This course was quite a learning experience! I learned that although I enjoy being a leader, I really enjoy being a member of a group of professionals who listen to each other's ideas. Seeing our final product reaffirmed that what I could produce alone is nothing compared to what four creative technology leaders can produce together. Brian P. felt that Sandy K. was "the communication hub of our team," and we all agreed (B. Page, personal communication, September, 26, 2010). Sandy coordinated our efforts by developing and asking everyone to contribute to a Google Doc that served as our planning and reflection documentation.
I learned a great deal about the video production process. Sandy developed the initial idea and script for our public service announcement video, and through a phone conference and the online collaboration process, everyone contributed ideas. Alma G. suggested adding an on-screen narrator at the end of the video. Everyone contributed to rewriting the script during the pre-production process, and Brian, Sandy, and I made minor script modifications during the production process. Alma's experience with video production benefited the team as she described ideas for wide-angle shots and close up shots, which we used during the filming process. Brian expertly operated the camera equipment while I directed filming. I really enjoyed directing the video shoot. Our actors were terrific, and I enjoyed watching each take and giving the actors suggestions on ways to improve their performance. In my position as instructional technology coordinator, I am accustomed to giving directions to others, but I felt out of place directing a video shoot. I gradually felt more comfortable as filming went on. During post-production, Brian, Sandy, and I met in person to review the footage, select the best takes, and determine which angles should be used. Alma created and emailed graphics in two sizes. Alma is a graphic designer, so her work significantly contributed to making our video look more professional. I created credits slides using the blank graphics Alma made, and I included copyright attributions to our two sources: www.shutterstock.com, where Alma found the graphic backgrounds and stock photos, as well as www.freesound.org, where Sandy found the camera sound. After realizing that my version of Movie Maker would not render the aspect ratio the video was shot in, Sandy rendered the final video for viewing online, and she uploaded it to YouTube. Our group is very pleased with our public service announcement video. If I had to suggest an improvement, I would suggest that we use a microphone or lavaliere to improve sound quality.
I am glad the public service announcement assignment was required to be completed by a group because I learned so much from my teammates. While I could have produced a video, I would never have thought of so many creative ideas on my own. I feel much more confident about my ability to produce a video after having completed this course and this project with my team.
References
Adobe. (n.d.). Project 4: Public service annoucement. Retrieved September 7, 2010, from http://www.adobe.com/education/instruction/teach/digitalvideo/dvcg_cs4_project4_a4.pdf
Lambert, J. (2007, February). Digital storytelling cookbook, 1-30. Story Center. Retrieved August 24, 2010, from http://www.storycenter.org/cookbook.pdf
Shank, P. (n.d.). The value of multimedia in learning. Think Tank. Retrieved August 24, 2010.